O Come All Ye Faithful
Bruce Kurnow Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, come ye
O come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord

God of God

Light of light
Lo, he abhors
Not the virgin's womb
Very God
Begotten not created
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens
Of heaven above
Glory to God
In the highest

O come
Let us adore him
Christ the Lord

See how the shepherds
Summoned to his cradle
Leaving their flocks
Draw nigh with lowly fear
We too will thither bend
Our joyful footsteps
O come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Yea, Lord, we greet thee
Born this happy morning
Jesus
To thee be glory given
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
O come

Let us adore him
Christ the Lord

Overall Meaning

The song "O Come O Come Emmanuel" is an invitation to come and worship Christ, the King of angels, who was born in Bethlehem. The lyrics are a call to all believers to come and adore Him. The first stanza invites all to come and behold the newborn King, and during the chorus, there is a repetition of the invitation to come and worship Christ, the Lord.

The second stanza describes the divinity of Christ, who is the God of God, Light of Light, and begotten, not created. He was born of the virgin's womb, and the implication is that He is the very essence of God in human form. The song continues with an exhortation for the choirs of angels and citizens of heaven to sing in exultation and give glory to God in the highest.

The third stanza is an example of how even the shepherds who were summoned to the cradle of Christ left their flocks and came to worship Him with lowly fear. The final stanza talks about Jesus, the Word of the Father, who appeared in flesh and is worthy of glory. In essence, the song is a declaration of faith, an invitation to believers to come and worship Christ, and a celebration of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, come ye
Come, oh come

O come ye to Bethlehem
Come to Bethlehem with haste

Come and behold him
See and observe him

Born the King of angels
He is the King of angels in his birth

O come, let us adore him
Let us worship him

Christ the Lord
He is the Lord Christ

God of God
He is God of God

Light of light
He is the light of light

Lo, he abhors
He does not despise

Not the virgin's womb
The virgin's womb he did not reject

Very God
He is truly God